Sources of Social Capital

• Families: As the main source of economic and social welfare for its members, the family is the first building block in the generation of social capital for the larger society.
• Communities: Social interactions among neighbors, friends and groups generate social capital and the ability to work together for a common good. This is especially important for the poor as social capital can be used as a substitute for human and physical capital.
• Firms: Building and sustaining efficient organizations like firms demands trust and a common sense of purpose, i.e., social capital. Social capital benefits firms by reducing transactions costs, but can also have negative effects for a firm and society.
• Civil Society: Social capital is crucial to the success of any non-governmental organization because it provides opportunities for participation and gives voice to those who may be locked out of more formal avenues to affect change.
• Public Sector: The public sector, i.e., the state and its institutions, is central to the functioning and welfare of any society.
• Ethnicity: Ethnic relations come up frequently in discussions of social capital. Whether it is immigration, microenterprise development, tribal nepotism or racial conflict, ethnic ties are a clear example of how actors who share common values and culture can band together for mutual benefit.
• Gender: Social networks of impoverished women in Brazil are important for women to obtain income and other necessities.

Using these sources you may search the database to identify articles best suited to your interests.

This list is by no means exhaustive, however it is intended to further the knowledge, understanding, and applications of social capital for sustainable social and economic development. We hope that it will be used by World Bank staff, external partners, universities, researchers, institutions, civil society, governments and practitioners interested in social capital.